Seasonal Affective Disorder

usmcmp

The time has come for many of us who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I know for me it will kick in shortly after Thanksgiving and last through Easter. This year I am going to try to stay ahead of and hopefully end the season without needing medication. This year I will increase carbs, continue working out hard and try light therapy (or even indoor tanning).

For those of you that suffer what are some of the ways you help reduce the effects of SAD?

jackpotclown

I've found tanning to be somewhat helpful.....obviously getting to the gym and pushing through the depressive and annoying feeling is key.....it's never 100% effective, but if you can basically keep yourself busy and have something to strive for (goals, etc), it definitely helps \m/

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

I don't have seasonal affective disorder too badly, all I get is really tired and drained by the end of the day.

I work at home (which is currently a basement apartment to make things worse) and I find this really helps:

http://www.verilux.com/light-therapy-lamps/happylight-light-therapy/

kcvance

The worst parts of the year for me are September and March, right around the equinoxes. I live in Arizona, so I try to get outside as much as possible to enjoy all the nice sunlight now that it's not 115 outside. I have a happy light at home and at work, and I try to exercise every day. I had a really rough time last year, so this year my doctor has me trying Sam-e, and it seems to be helping.

I had never thought of indoor tanning - going to research that a bit. :-)

Lizzy622

Thought I had SAD but a visit to the doctor and a blood test showed I was deficient in vitamin D. Extra D in the winter does wonders.

AllonsYtotheTardis

I was surprised at what a difference running made in my management of SAD. Getting outside for as much sun as I can (what little there is) also helps.

TeachTheGirl

I'll be starting Vitamin D pills again.

I can already feel the urge to eat everything and do nothing setting in...

Miss_Meliss86

I have a family member who struggles with this, and he said that while the expense at the time seemed to be a lot, the light therapy really helped and he finds it much easier to manage by using it daily throughout the winter months.

I've heard very good things about tanning too.

Generally speaking, when I was really struggling with my own generalized depression, making a point to plan out my day the night before helped to get me out of bed the next day...knowing I had things to do/people to see helped to get me out of bed. Not sure if it's applicable in your situation, but figured I'd throw it out there

And know that you have your friends on here to help too!!! :flowerforyou:

ironanimal

I'll be starting Vitamin D pills again.

I can already feel the urge to eat everything and do nothing setting in...

My life 10 months of the year.

Summer I can't sit still.

danger_kitteh

I take Vit D year round but will be increasing my dosage and starting light therapy at the end of the month. I have this Litebook http://www.amazon.com/Litebook-Elite-Hand-Held-Therapy-Device/dp/B000P0LLNU/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1382115235&sr=8-19&keywords=lite+box+therapy

I get SAD pretty bad this past decade. I'm blaming Canada (moved here 11 years ago). While I'm not really any higher latitude wise from where I lived in Michigan, I find the winters more grey, colder and longer here. Litebook, VitD, B12, exercise and as much time outside as I can have really helped the past 3-4 winters.

opalescence

bump, would like to see what others recommend.

I wish I could do indoor tanning, after the doc removed several places of "concern" I'm not supposed to ever get in one again. (for the record I practically lived in tanning beds from the ages of 14-16) I'm going to miss my summer tan that I've worked so hard on :sad:

I have a prescription for Vitamin D so I'll probably do that again this year. I think it helped a little.

So_Much_Fab

I had this for years but somehow it's gone away...not sure why. I was seriously looking into light therapy at a point.

bluesmaven1

Vitamin D-3 and lots of it. Do a search on the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency and you should be surprised at what you find.

usmcmp

Things that I noticed helped me last year:

1. Keeping a fairly strict routine. I'm more likely to make it to the gym and get the chores done if it is scheduled.
2. Planning my food in advance. Making sure my calorie and macro goals are hit and I'm getting filling foods.
3. Avoiding retail therapy. Buying things makes me happy, seeing the damage does not.
4. Fruit smooties and red meat. Good carbs and yummy fat.
5. Exercise. Heavy compound lifts increase testosterone and improve my mood.

No_Finish_Line

hmm, suprised that i was not aware of SAD. i don't think it applies to me, but i do periodically get depressed.

In that past this would cause me to stop training. even then i saw exercise as stress relieving, but if i was feeling bad enough, i wouldn't want to go to the gym.

Now, i guess its really sunken in how beneficial exercise is psychologically, that even when i'm feeling that crappy... its pretty easy for me to rationalize my way into the work out and that helps me stay on track. that in turn helps prevent the depression from draggin on i believe

KANGOOJUMPS

those lights really work well,

californiabella

I'm glad you made a topic regarding SAD. I thought I was alone! Even though it's still sunny here in Southern California at the moment, I started feeling the effects of Fall about two weeks ago when we had two weeks of cold and rain. Couldn't figure out why I was so unmotivated and overwhelmed when just a few weeks before I was up and about.. exercising regularly and eating healthy, basically feeling wonderful!

I agree with the others about absorbing as much sunlight as you possibly can. I'm also thinking of setting a lamp on a timer to get me up and going in the morning.

WJS_jeepster

I do therapy lights every morning starting in October. I generally do ok until January. Christmas is over, but 3+ more months of short winter days in Minnesota is just awful.

I also started taking a low dose antidepressant when I was first diagnosed. It helped a little with motivation and getting out of bed, but not with the carb cravings.

When I was running outside at lunchtime every day all winter, that was the most helpful. Unfortunately my schedule no longer allows running in the middle of the day. One year I rigged a light box to shine over my treadmill and that worked ok.

Even though I crave carbs like nobody's business, I don't think they make you feel any better for more than the minute they are in your mouth. I actually try to tilt my diet to more protein to avoid crashes which make the whole thing even worse.

Finally, my main weird symptom of depression (seasonal or otherwise) is a complete inability to make decisions. The smaller and less important the decision, the more paralyzing. To deal with that, I set up a pretty rigid routine in the winter to avoid being stymied by having to make a decision. I take as much decision-making as I can off my plate.

AbsyPernet

I take Vitamin D during the winter months to help with SAD, keeping up with exercising and eating well does help with reducing the symptoms.

MWKnepper

My husband struggles with this. As his wife.. what can I do to be helpful?

odusgolp

bump

sillygoosie

I continue to spend as much time outside as I do in the warmer months. It might not be as pleasant but forcing myself to do physical activities in sub freezing weather has really helped over the past couple of years.. I really think part of it has something to with feeling like a badass after cross training in snow and walking for 7 miles in 4 degree temp. I have an mfp buddy that would agree with me on that.

I only start to get really poopy around February now and that is just because winter seems to last forever in Colorado.

ETA: We get a ton of sunshine here all winter long.

HealthyFocused715

Just fired up my Philips Go Lite lightbox as I read this thread. That combined with Vitamin D supplements, regular exercise and getting outside even when I don't want to (initially) seem to have worked for me last year. I also use a dawn simulator alarm clock...this helps immensely! Also a Philips product (I don't work for them, just happen to buy two of their products related to this!! )

Andreaviolet89

Tanning helps (I usually will cover my face though so I don't look too dark in winter) and joining a gym that has a pool and or sauna helps.

KittiesSong

Getting out and going for either a jog or walk when I'm feeling really drained really helps. Especially if I can get my blood pumping I'll get a little bit of a buzz that helps me fight off the depression. Still fighting getting up in the mornings though...

moxiept

I've just started taking vitamin D consistently and running this summer. It will be interesting what effect my new habits will have when time changes.

KnitSewSpin

Mine kicked in hard a few weeks ago. St Johns Wort, Vit. D, walking outside every day (even when it's below zero here in Mn. ) exercise, and light therapy help, but it never goes away completely. I also get paralyzed by little decisions. Someone else mentioned they can't sit still in the summer. That's me totally. Autumn is such a lovely time, but all I can think about is the big nasty impending winter.

JayMri

After a couple years of feeling depressed all winter I think I have SAD. I am planning on making an appointment with my doctor to discuss as it's not even Thanksgiving and I am feeling it already. In the last two weeks we've had sunny days only twice and I felt great on those days but tired , cranky and depressed on the other days. I get out daily for walks but only after dark now that the sun goes down at 4:30 now.

For those of you who have been diagnosed and use light therapy - was that something that was covered by insurance?

neanderthin

Lights and lots of vit D helps my wife.

iplayoutside19

I don't know if I would be clinicly diagnosed with having SAD, but after reading up on it. I'm pretty sure I'm close. I'm usually good till that first week after New Years. The Holiday socializing is over and then it's dark and cold; and it seems like we're a long way from it getting any better. Almost a hopeless feeling. I start worrying about that 6-8 week stretch during the winter so much I have a hard time enjoying the fall because I know it's coming. I'm so myopic during this time of year I will time the sunset with my watch, and cheer even the slightest gain in daylight. This is inaddition to checking sunrise/sunset tables every few weeks. This lasts until late Feburary or Early March. By that time of the year there's a little daylight left when I get home from work. We get some warmer days, although, like last year; winter always has something left up her sleave until May.

Like others have said. Line-up some fitness goals and work toward them. I have a trail race I need to get ready for in Mid-Feburary, so that will take most of my energy. After that there's an adventure race in April. All this is on top of the other community, kids, and social activities we have going on.

Don't know if my case is severe enough to get the light. But I may look into some Vit D pills during this upcoming season and see if that helps more than my usuall plan for those "Dark Days"

lovethee23

bump